If Tiger Ruled
What if Tigerclaw ruled? What would have happened? Let's find out in this story...Muahaha. Prologue :"Go test your apprentice, Fireheart." Tigerclaw growled at the ginger tabby warrior in front of him. Gingerly he scanned the rest of the camp. No more cats left. Bluestar was hunting, Mousefur led a patrol, Whitestorm led another patrol, and more cats led more. My plan will work, he thought, grimacing. The tabby warrior rose to his full height, baring his teeth in a enormous yawn. :"Go." Fireheart glared at him for a second, the dull leaf-bare sunlight turning his pelt to flame. Then he nodded curtly and called his apprentice, "Cloudpaw!". Cloudpaw appeared, his white pelt ruffling in the wind. Fireheart murmured to him his assessment, and the two took off into the forest. :Camp was deserted. Let's go. And take a different route, Tigerclaw! Or about to become Tigerstar, he thought. Then he bounded out of camp, strong muscles rippling under his dark tabby pelt. He raced away from the camp and took the different route that led into Twolegplace. :Russetfur, Blackfoot, Brokentail, Nightwhisper, and Jaggedtooth stood. They looked battle hungry, sharp claws unsheathed, razor-like teeth bared, muscles rippling under their pelts. "It's time," Tigerclaw signaled them. :They raced after the ThunderClan deputy, following his paw steps, paws thudding on the hard earth. They made the journey through the forest and Tigerclaw skidded to a halt. :"Let's go..." He grimaced. ThunderClan, finally going to become his! Chapter One :Tigerclaw felt wind rush in his ears as he broke into battle, pawing at some of his rogues with a sheathed paw. Then he rushed for Bluestar's den. "Bluestar!" he hissed, finding the old blue-gray leader crouched in her nest, eyes glazed with fear. :"Tigerclaw! Mousefur screeched, making a run for Tigerclaw. "There is an attack on camp. We must go!" :Tigerclaw stared at her. "It's okay, I'm reassuring Bluestar, she's scared." He looked back at Bluestar, crouching down. Mousefur's dusty brown pelt disappeared, and once she vanished into the brawling cats of camp, he hissed at Bluestar, "You're not going anywhere, just to StarClan." :Bluestar fixed him with an icy-blue stare. "What? Have you forgot I'm the leader?" :"Not anymore, you aren't!" Tigerclaw felt Thistleclaw's voice in his ear, "Do it...Do it." He clawed open Bluestar's stomach with thorn-sharp claws, buckling her legs under her, watching blood gush out. Not just her blood, but her last life. His paws, sticky with his leader's blood, stung as he padded over to a pool to watch them. :He broke from the warriors' den and found Nightwhisper, the tom he had befriended. "Nightwhisper!" he hissed. :Nightwhisper turned to Tigerclaw. "What?" :"Is Fireheart dead?" :Nightwhisper kinked his head towards a limp ginger tabby cat on the ground, splayed, his once glowing pelt dull. Thornpaw nudged Fireheart and from the gaze they shared, Thornpaw was silently giving Fireheart advice. Fireheart gasped, staring at Tigerclaw. "I can't take this!" he screamed, fleeing. :"Go, little kittypet! Leave ThunderClan and never come back! We'll kill you if we find you!" hissed Tigerclaw. :Russetfur nodded. Jaggedtooth, Blackfoot, Brokentail, and Nightwhisper nodded as well. Tigerclaw's paws was matted with blood. No more was his pelt dark brown, but red. Nightwhisper's ear was torn, Russetfur had a nasty, bleeding cut on her shoulder, while Blackfoot had a shoulder wound. Brokentail's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. :Tigerclaw swung his broad head to Bluestar's den. He could see her blue-gray pelt as she crawled out of it. Once so strong and beautiful, now weak and ugly. She gasped, falling limp. "Bluestar!" Whitestorm's grief-ridden howl pierced the camp. "Who killed her?" he demanded, scanning the rogues. :"Are you even more mouse-brained than I thought, Whitestorm? We were too busy fighting, and you really think the cat who did kill her will speak up?" :Whitestorm blinked, but stepped back. "I guess you're the leader now," he grumbled. :Runningwind was glaring at Tigerclaw, but Tigerclaw knew he had much more power than this mange-ridden excuse for a cat. Sandstorm's eyes were narrowed to slits and Cinderpelt limped over to Tigerclaw. Yellowfang was fiddling with her herbs but the entire Clan stood in shock. :Longtail broke the silence. "I can't believe Bluestar's dead." :"Well you better believe it," snapped Darkstripe. :'Wait," said a voice from Bluestar's den. Mousefur! She was crouched over the pool Tigerclaw had used to rinse his paws with. "It's the color of blood." The entire Clan crouched over it, including the rogues, and Tigerclaw noticed that it was stained crimson. "So the killer was here. Does it matter? She's dead, and she'll be happy in StarClan." :The entire Clan stared at him, but Darkstripe murmured his agreement. The rogues echoed it, but Tigerclaw knew a portion of the Clan was in denial about his leadership. Sandstorm, Yellowfang, and Cinderpelt, and maybe some more, too. :Tigerclaw wrinkled his nose. "I'm going to go to the Moonstone now," he mewed. "And I'll return as Tigerstar." With a flick of the tail, he vanished into the darkness of the forest. Chapter Two :The trees moved as ''Tigerclaw, now Tigerstar, padded in. The Clan had been waiting. Their eyes glowed through the blackness of the night as he padded in. The moon was already rising in the sky. The cats gazed anxiously at its slender rays of light. Tigerstar leaped on the Highrock. "Gather here!" Most of the cats were there, and only some were needed to have the entire Clan. :Goldenflower's sleek, golden pelt was visible through the narrow entrance of the nursery. She had just bore Tigerstar's kits, Bramblekit and Tawnykit. He watched, amusement scorching his eyes as they tumbled on each other and out of the nursery. :He was being distracted. He shook his head and gazed at his Clan gathered around him. "First, the rogues that had came will become warriors. We need-" :His sentence was cut of by howls of disapproval. Sandstorm shrieked, "The cats who tried to murder our entire Clan and killed Bluestar? No way!" :Tigerstar's sharp glare silenced the Clan. "ThunderClan is filled of puny, weak warriors. We need stronger cats to hunt for us." :Graystripe's yowl disturbed Tigerstar from starting another sentence. "We're ThunderClan. The only reason we don't have a lot of prey is because it's leaf-bare!" :"I don't care. We need these warriors. And now...that it's almost moonhigh, I shall name my deputy. Nightwhisper shall be the new deputy of ThunderClan, as he drove that filthy excuse for a warrior, Fireheart, away." :Yowls of outrage came from Fireheart's followers, Sandstorm, and Yellowfang, and Cinderpelt. They glared at him. Cinderpelt's blue eyes turned to blue flame and melted into him. He glared at Sandstorm, who stepped up. Her tail flicked angrily back and forth. It slapped the ground and it seemed like it would fall of. :"So, Tigerstar? Why Nightwhisper? Because he was a fellow rogue?" Sandstorm challenged. "It's against the warrior code. Nightwhisper hadn't had an apprentice, and he was a rogue." :"Who cares about the warrior code?" Tigerstar snarled, so low only Sandstorm could hear. "It will be destroyed." :Nightwhisper's fluffy brown fur ruffled in the night wind as he rose to his paws. "Thank you, Tigerstar," he said quietly. :Tigerstar nodded and leaped down the Highrock. He drew the meeting to a close. "This meeting is done. Scramble away." :But he had one more thing to do. :He sat down near his den and watched the Clan fall into sleep. He didn't send a dawn patrol out, which puzzled the cats but he didn't answer straightly. Now, that they were all gone, he could leave and do what he planned to. :He slipped from the barrier and into the forest, crossing swiftly. Bramble thickets pricked his skin and trees swayed above him. He dashed as quick as possible, and came face to face with one of his worst enemies - the river. He hated it. But he had to learn to cross the river if he were to rule RiverClan, though he was irresolute over the entire thing. He jumped in the river, wading slowly. Soon it started to slope down and his paws let go of the ground. He paddled down and saw the bank of the river, the ripples roaring beside him. He started slowing to a cessation. Tigersatr narrowed his eyes. He sunk his claws into the river bank and hauled himself over the river. :Tigerstar sniffed the air. The fishy scent of RiverClan was detected on the breeze. ''There's the patrol! His heart pounded as he realized that a patrol was coming towards the river, splashing the water and throwing rocks at the ground. That's how you treat your territory? Without patrolling? That doesn't look like a patrol to me. Under my control, this place would be better. They're so imprudence! ''Those indolent cats. :He narrowed his eyes at the patrol as they started to pad towards him. "Tigerclaw?" A familiar gray cat stared at him, with glowing yellow eyes. :"Graystripe?" :Graystripe narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?" :"To speak to Crookedstar." :"At dusk?" :"Yes, at dusk." :Suspicion lingered in the air above them. Halting, Graystripe reluctantly nodded his head at Tigerstar. "Let's go then," Camp wasn't far from the river bank. :They came to an halt at a thick barrier made of reed that led to camp. "Crookedstar!" called Graystripe. A muscular, broad-shouldered, massive light brown tabby tom with a crooked jaw appeared from the camp entrance, his green eyes scanning the group of cats. :"Why is Tigerclaw here?" :"I would like to speak to you alone," Tigerstar mewed politely. :Crookedstar glared at Graystripe. Graystripe limped from the entrance to camp, the rest of his patrol following. Crookedstar glanced at Tigerstar and asked, "How can I help you, Tigerclaw?" :"Tiger''star," the tabby cat corrected Crookedstar. :"Bluestar died?" :"Yes. She was killed in an ambush by rogues." :"I'm so sorry to hear that, Tigerstar. But you shall make a great successor in her turn." :"Thank you. Maybe we could grab your deputy and go to a quiet spot in the territory to talk?" :"Sure." Crookedstar vanished into the camp, and moments later, came back with a striped-and-spotted golden she-cat. She raised her long neck, the lighter fur stripping down her neck to her tail rippling. "I'm sorry to hear about Bluestar," she mewed. Leopardfur, the loyal RiverClan deputy. :"She was an honorable leader," Tigerstar nodded. :"Let's go to that quiet spot you wanted," she mewed. :"Okay," Tigerstar mewed. Crookedstar led the two cats to a quiet corner of RiverClan, dappled by moonlight shade and trees. :"So," Crookedstar looked at Tigerstar. "What did you want to talk about?" :Smoothly Tigerstar began. "So...I was thinking about Clans being one, not four. It would be so much better! No fighting over prey, we'll unite to drive out rogues, no border raids, nothing like that! Peace and harmony. I'm making a Clan and it's called TigerClan. Would RiverClan like to join?" :Crookedstar narrowed his eyes. Leopardfur glanced at him. "Yes! He's right!" When she gazed at Tigerstar, her eyes were mixed with love. Um... :"No!" Crookedstar snarled. "The Clans have always been four and you can't change that! You can't take one of the ancient Clan names too, you ignorant furball!" :Tigerstar's eyes flashed. "Oh, really?" He flattened his ears and stared at Leopardfur. He leaped on the strong deputy, holding a tight grip. Leopardfur writhed in his claws, but Tigerstar's blows were more powerful. Blood poured from the gashes he had scored, and now it was time for the finishing touch. He raked his claws down Leopardfur's throat. :Leopardfur fell to the ground, shaking. Her body gave convulsed spasms as she writhed around. Suddenly she stopped, and her eyes gazed sightlessly at the sky. :"That's what's going to happen if you don't join me," Tigerstar hissed. :"You and your rogues and friends are just a faction!" he hissed. "You hear me? Faction!" :Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. "Do you want to die, too?" His raised his paw, his bloody claws glinting in the light. :"Fine," he hissed. "We'll join. We'll join." :Tigerstar grinned. "I know you would." Chapter Three :The wind billowed in the air as ''Tigerstar made his way across the rippling river, his eyes focused on ThunderClan territory stretching wide before his eyes. :A ThunderClan patrol was crossing the territory. ''For StarClan's sake it's Sandstorm, Mousefur, and Whitestorm! He narrowed his eyes. :Whitestorm opened his mouth to speak, but Sandstorm's mew cut him of. "So, Tigerstar," she hissed. "What were you doing in RiverClan territory?" :Tigerstar's eyes narrowed and he was longing for a good reason. I know! "I wanted to confine in Crookedstar for advice," he mewed. :"On what?" Sandstorm challenged. :"None of your business." Tigerstar growled, turning his massive, broad-shouldered body on the patrol and grumpily padding back to camp. Once the shadows were set, he would make way to fulfilling his plan... :As he climbed back to camp, all he wanted to do was curl up in his nest in sleep. Nightwhisper padded up to him. "Tigerstar were where you last night?" he questioned. :"I was out." Tigerstar answered. He challengingly glared at Nightwhisper who didn't ask anymore questions - he just nodded respectfully, turned, and hopped back to gathering more patrols. :He went into his den, the curtain of lichen pricking his pelt as he ducked under. He saw Bluestar's nest, but was too tired to make his own. Collapsing into the comfort of moss and feathers, he closed his eyes and a big wave of sleep crashed into him. :When Tigerstar's eyes flashed open, strength had been restored into him, enough to get through the whole day. He rose to his striped paws, remembering what he planned to do today. First, I have to eat. Curling his claws, he threw a rabbit of the fresh kill pile and grasped its scruff with his teeth, dragging it to his den. He sunk his teeth into the warm, fresh meat and devoured it in a couple famished bites, savoring the taste. :Tigerstar got to his paws, feeling well-fed. Now, it was time. Slowly, he slipped out of camp through the dirtplace tunnel, wrinkling his nose at the horrid stench. :He stopped, bracing his hindquarters to jump over the dirtplace. Stepping back and gathering strength into his arms, he rocketed into the air then landed on all fours. Fox-dung! When he had landed, his weight had made a large sound that would have scared all the prey away from here to Fourtrees. :A large squirrel suddenly turned his head from the behind of an apple tree. Eyes brightening, he raced towards the squirrel, his claws outstretched. He felt his claws rake the squirrel's skin and he quickly snapped its neck. :And then he rolled it around in dirt, waiting a long time for it to grow cold. And suddenly, he shrieked, his face towards the sky, letting out a long, high-pitched yowl. :Cats from ThunderClan suddenly came rushing towards the tree behind the dirtplace, their eyes wide. "Tigerstar?" hissed the golden queen, Goldenflower. "What happened?" :"WindClan has been hunting on our territory!" He hissed, showing them the large squirrel. :"It smells like ThunderClan," Sandstorm narrowed her eyes. :"Because I picked it up!" retorted Tigerstar. :"Have some sense," snapped Nightwhisper. :"Are we attacking?" questioned Darkstripe. :"Of course!" sneered Longtail. :"Yes. We are raiding after Gathering." Tigerstar hissed, his claws sinking into the soft dirt under his paws. :They trekked to Fourtrees. Tigerstar took his place on the Great Rock, glaring at Tallstar. "Let the Gathering begin," he called. All the Clans were there. :Out of his glimpse, he could see Tallstar leaning into Leopardstar's ear and murmuring, "Who died and made him the ruler of the Clans?" :You, Tallstar! Tigerstar thought, unsheathing his claws. : :